The Truth about California from a former west coast Girl... (Los Angeles: earthquake, salary)
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Lol, so true... And when I did live in CA, I had a headache many times due to the traffic, smog and inability to understand anyone because the majority of the population spoke another language...hahaha!!!!
The best place to be in CA....loaded with money in some beach house away from the rest of the chaos... But reality sets in and for the majority of us...it isn't an option. I would never move back unless forced.
Thanks for your comments...
Are you another one who thinks CALIFORNIA = LA? Sounds like it to me. The rest of the state probably doesn't want you back either though.
This thread is really good...i have been on other forums about moving to other states/countries and the main thing that struck me is that you all have different opinions but on the whole you are allowing people to have them without too much personal attacking going on and this makes me feel like i could possibly enjoy living in the USA!
I have lived in a few countries mainly in Europe and now Australia...so from that perspective i would just like to say that everything that people have complained about on this thread is a problem in Europe and Australia too.
The pollution in summer in southern Spain near the city of Malaga, Andalucia (which is very similar to SoCal terrain) was terrible! The coastal communities were a mixture of middle class and the very rich. We lived slightly inland of them as we found people were more 'real', in general, and weren't bothered by what you drove, did or possessed .... our children went to a private school where the parents cared about giving a good education and didn't think providing breast augmentation as an 18th birthday present was normal! That was the expat world that i lived in .... it doesn't sound too dissimilar to what i hear on here....? But boy did i enjoy my time there
Currently living on the Gold Coast in Australia...couldn't be cleaner or more spacious....but after 2 years i am finding it hard to cope with the narrow minded-ness plus the lack of ambition to do anything! It's too quiet
As we are all different....so we have different ideas and opinions and that is what i love...diversity.... and from what i gather SoCal has that in spades?...or am i wrong? So am looking to relocate to SoCal in a couple of years?
As we are all different....so we have different ideas and opinions and that is what i love...diversity.... and from what i gather SoCal has that in spades?...or am i wrong? So am looking to relocate to SoCal in a couple of years?
all opinions welcome!
I think it will be worth the experience if nothing else!
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"I nined an elevenderloin with my fivek."
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Location: South of Northern California
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Come on over, TeeCee!
Lots of opinions both ways. Not everyone is suited to every place.
My opinion (not truth, just opinion). I moved here in 07, and I love it here. Someone a ways back said people here are in denial that everyplace outside of OC is better. Absolute bunk. I'm not blind to its problems, but I've lived many places, some of them absolute hell. It's a broad generalization.
One of the first things that shocked me was the percentage of people who truly love living here. A new experience for me. I lived nearly my entire life in Vegas, and spent decades enduring the transplant motto of "I hate it here." I became used to tuning it out, knowing that they'd be gone within two to three years anyway. So when I came here, to find I could say I loved it and actually hear agreement took some getting used to, lol!
The comments about nobody speaking English was--again, in my opinion--not only borderline racist, but made me laugh, because the whiteness of south county was a real shock. I find it terribly disturbing that a high percentage of Latinos I meet avert their eyes as they pass by. I try to make eye contact and say "hi" when I do, but often they won't even look. It took weeks to get my next door neighbor in the apartment I first moved into on my arrival to realize I really wanted to talk to her. I don't often see whites and latinos just chatting and stuff together unless it's in some sort of parent gathering at the school. I enjoy the greater diversity in North County, and I noticed that it's more relaxed between races up there (again, things like casual chatting in the grocery store, etc.). And the black population is very low here comparatively, which also took some getting used to. I see the heavy skewing of population toward white as a disadvantage, not a benefit. Again, just my opinion.
Smog is a problem everywhere, but because I live near the coast, it's been much better than Vegas. And few if any problems with temperature inversions pushing the smog down. Much more of a problem inland, of course.
It's definitely expensive. And the housing market right now is very unhealthy. What houses are on the market get snatched up by investors with cash. Everyone I know who's tried to buy in the last year has lost at least one house to cash buyers (my friend who's currently trying to buy has lost four in the last six months, including one just as they were doing the paperwork!). We don't own our own home right now, and it will be at least a year before we can start looking.
There's been blanket statements about bad schools. Again, bunk! My kids are thriving at a fantastic school. They LOVE it! I know what bad schools look like. And I haven't seen one in South County yet. Yes, there are bad schools in other areas. But not every area. And even with the insanity of the last couple months with the strike and all, I'll take giving up owning my own house this late in life and the strike drama over allowing my kids to attend the hell-hole that they were zoned for back home (which was my alma mater!). My kids have been homeschooled, and they've been in private schools. None of it beats what they've got now. I'm very thankful that we've been able to come here for them. It's well worth the financial sacrifice.
It all boils down to looking for the area that best suits your lifestyle, your financial wherewithal, and specific needs as far as stage in life an family. I'm in the arts and entertainment, as are both my kids. So California is a good fit for us. For another family, it may not be. South County is beautiful and has great schools, amazing weather, and fun things to do. But it's insanely expensive and skewed really white.
And as for the elitist attitudes of some who live here, just ignore 'em! There's plenty of people I've met who are normal middle-class people. Two of my neighbors decided that in order to actually connect in spite of the busy OC lifestyle, we'd have a scheduled walk together in the mornings. It's been a great way to get to know each other better without kids and phones and meetings. Normal, nice people are out there. The ones who are only interested in appearance, what car you drive, etc. aren't worth wasting time being offended by. Oh, and I drive a 2004 ordinary car. With some damage. That's fully paid for. I'll give it to my son when he starts driving, 'cause what's to wreck at that point?
And don't get me started about the weather. Alright, you got me started. Gorgeous. Gaw-juhs. After 30 years of baking in the blast furnace (don't get me wrong, I still love my old home. Yes. someone actually loves Vegas. ), summers with the windows open and just a fan running has been nothing but magnificent. Yes, I live near the beach. I'd still be able to go a ways inland and not have the same heat as Vegas. And more rain in a week than I'd get in a whole year. The further inland you go, the hotter it gets. But some people would rather have the hot weather and have an affordable house. It depends on what you need.
Okay, loooong winded, but wanted to touch on most of the main points being debated. Just two cents from a fairly recent transplant. That and three-quarters of a mil will buy you a house.
Last edited by Vary; 05-22-2010 at 05:04 PM..
Reason: grammatical error
Lots of opinions both ways. Not everyone is suited to every place.
My opinion (not truth, just opinion). I moved here in 07, and I love it here. Someone a ways back said people here are in denial that everyplace outside of OC is better. Absolute bunk. I'm not blind to its problems, but I've lived many places, some of them absolute hell. It's a broad generalization.
One of the first things that shocked me was the percentage of people who truly love living here. A new experience for me. I lived nearly my entire life in Vegas, and spent decades enduring the transplant motto of "I hate it here." I became used to tuning it out, knowing that they'd be gone within two to three years anyway. So when I came here, to find I could say I loved it and actually hear agreement took some getting used to, lol!
The comments about nobody speaking English was--again, in my opinion--not only borderline racist, but made me laugh, because the whiteness of south county was a real shock. I find it terribly disturbing that a high percentage of Latinos I meet avert their eyes as they pass by. I try to make eye contact and say "hi" when I do, but often they won't even look. It took weeks to get my next door neighbor in the apartment I first moved into on my arrival to realize I really wanted to talk to her. I don't often see whites and latinos just chatting and stuff together unless it's in some sort of parent gathering at the school. I enjoy the greater diversity in North County, and I noticed that it's more relaxed between races up there (again, things like casual chatting in the grocery store, etc.). And the black population is very low here comparatively, which also took some getting used to. I see the heavy skewing of population toward white as a disadvantage, not a benefit. Again, just my opinion.
Smog is a problem everywhere, but because I live near the coast, it's been much better than Vegas. And few if any problems with temperature inversions pushing the smog down. Much more of a problem inland, of course.
It's definitely expensive. And the housing market right now is very unhealthy. What houses are on the market get snatched up by investors with cash. Everyone I know who's tried to buy in the last year has lost at least one house to cash buyers (my friend who's currently trying to buy has lost four in the last six months, including one just as they were doing the paperwork!). We don't own our own home right now, and it will be at least a year before we can start looking.
There's been blanket statements about bad schools. Again, bunk! My kids are thriving at a fantastic school. They LOVE it! I know what bad schools look like. And I haven't seen one in South County yet. Yes, there are bad schools in other areas. But not every area. And even with the insanity of the last couple months with the strike and all, I'll take giving up owning my own house this late in life and the strike drama over allowing my kids to attend the hell-hole that they were zoned for back home (which was my alma mater!). My kids have been homeschooled, and they've been in private schools. None of it beats what they've got now. I'm very thankful that we've been able to come here for them. It's well worth the financial sacrifice.
It all boils down to looking for the area that best suits your lifestyle, your financial wherewithal, and specific needs as far as stage in life an family. I'm in the arts and entertainment, as are both my kids. So California is a good fit for us. For another family, it may not be. South County is beautiful and has great schools, amazing weather, and fun things to do. But it's insanely expensive and skewed really white.
And as for the elitist attitudes of some who live here, just ignore 'em! There's plenty of people I've met who are normal middle-class people. Two of my neighbors decided that in order to actually connect in spite of the busy OC lifestyle, we'd have a scheduled walk together in the mornings. It's been a great way to get to know each other better without kids and phones and meetings. Normal, nice people are out there. The ones who are only interested in appearance, what car you drive, etc. aren't worth wasting time being offended by. Oh, and I drive a 2004 ordinary car. With some damage. That's fully paid for. I'll give it to my son when he starts driving, 'cause what's to wreck at that point?
And don't get me started about the weather. Alright, you got me started. Gorgeous. Gaw-juhs. After 30 years of baking in the blast furnace (don't get me wrong, I still love my old home. Yes. someone actually loves Vegas. ), summers with the windows open and just a fan running has been nothing but magnificent. Yes, I live near the beach. I'd still be able to go a ways inland and not have the same heat as Vegas. And more rain in a week than I'd get in a whole year. The further inland you go, the hotter it gets. But some people would rather have the hot weather and have an affordable house. It depends on what you need.
Okay, loooong winded, but wanted to touch on most of the main points being debated. Just two cents from a fairly recent transplant. That and three-quarters of a mil will buy you a house.
What a great post...you're right, it truly is what suits the individual... i know i will love the weather because it's similar to what i have lived with and if there are more people like you out there then i'm sure i'll find a nice bunch of people!
Therefore, I chose to post my thread and I don't regret the name I gave it. It is me and I am free and able to do as I please. Once again it is a free country so stop trying to change my thread or it's title... If those of you do not like the title than don't read it, skip it and read something else.
Thank you
Hey Raelyn. What's with the hypocrisy? Shouldn't your "free country" and "I am free and able to do as I please" apply to everyone else as well? Don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Let me refresh your memory:
Raelyn...here you go. Just in case you were too lazy to click on the previous link.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raelyn28
RobE,
Excuse me and Jesus Christ is my Lord so please do not put a Q between the name of the one who died for you. Give Him some due respect, please!
Anyway, if you looked at any of my other posts I did mention that I lived in Yorba Linda and out of all the places it was the best. I also mentioned Anaheim Hills (parts of it) along with all those nice beach cities south of Irvine. I was honest in saying that those cities are expensive. I also stated to stay away from the pockets of cities like Buena Park, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley etc, where there is more bad neighborhoods and bad activity etc...
Some people have to move there, they have no choice RobE and I understand that and so I have just directed people to do their homework before moving blindly into a community.
My gosh what is it about someone giving their opinion?? I didn't like it there so big deal. Why can't you except that and live with it? If you enjoy it there then that is great and hopefully people will base their moving decision on your experience as well RobE. I am really glad you are happy there.
Have a good week... and by the way, I am not a griefer (you mean griever)?? I had many good experiences in OC primarily meeting my husband and giving birth to my two boys!!! And you should look up the definition of a forum troll. It has nothing to do with what you said. It is a person who makes inflammatory remarks like the one you made when you used God's name in vain...
What god? That's not my god. Maybe it's not his god as well. No need to force your religious beliefs on others. There was no inflammatory remark. Besides:
he chose to post his comment and he doesn't regret the name he mentioned. He is free and able to do as he pleases. Once again it is a free country so stop trying to change his post or his freedom to express himself... If those of you do not like the post than don't read it, skip it and read something else.
I agree. I think what I lot of people forget is that until about 150 years ago, California was still Mexico and many of the Mexicans were "grandfathered" into this new country. The Spanish language isn't going anywhere. Many latin women were married to American soldiers and merchents in order to be allowed to keep their land hence the large land grants in so cal that are now becoming housing tracts! It's funny and yet so sad. Of course there will be a significant spanish speaking population. A real "duh" moment there sometimes. I have even encountered some people complaining about the latin influence in the state. I've heard of people complaining that the city name should be changed from Los Angeles to City of Angeles and Santa Monica to Saint Monica and Playa del Rey to Kings Beach! (literally and officially!!). It's nuts!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vary
The comments about nobody speaking English was--again, in my opinion--not only borderline racist, but made me laugh, because the whiteness of south county was a real shock. I find it terribly disturbing that a high percentage of Latinos I meet avert their eyes as they pass by. I try to make eye contact and say "hi" when I do, but often they won't even look. It took weeks to get my next door neighbor in the apartment I first moved into on my arrival to realize I really wanted to talk to her. I don't often see whites and latinos just chatting and stuff together unless it's in some sort of parent gathering at the school. I enjoy the greater diversity in North County, and I noticed that it's more relaxed between races up there (again, things like casual chatting in the grocery store, etc.). And the black population is very low here comparatively, which also took some getting used to. I see the heavy skewing of population toward white as a disadvantage, not a benefit. Again, just my opinion.
I agree. I think what I lot of people forget is that until about 150 years ago, California was still Mexico and many of the Mexicans were "grandfathered" into this new country. The Spanish language isn't going anywhere. Many latin women were married to American soldiers and merchents in order to be allowed to keep their land hence the large land grants in so cal that are now becoming housing tracts! It's funny and yet so sad. Of course there will be a significant spanish speaking population. A real "duh" moment there sometimes. I have even encountered some people complaining about the latin influence in the state. I've heard of people complaining that the city name should be changed from Los Angeles to City of Angeles and Santa Monica to Saint Monica and Playa del Rey to Kings Beach! (literally and officially!!). It's nuts!
How about more "ville"s like the rest of the country: Resedaville, Pasadenaville, Comptonville, Malibuville, ....?
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But boy did i enjoy my time there
I've heard of people complaining that the city name should be changed from Los Angeles to City of Angeles and Santa Monica to Saint Monica and Playa del Rey to Kings Beach! (literally and officially!!). It's nuts! 
